Official Blog of Karen Michelle Nutt. Grab your favorite drink and stay a while. Chat with an author every Monday, find out about my new releases, take a ghost tour or behind the scenes of one of my paranormal romances. Your Destiny awaits!

Pages

Monday, March 29, 2010

Passion and desire...across time, Let's welcome erotica author, Tracy L. Ranson. She's here today to tell us about her tantalizing romances. Don't be shy, ask her those questions you've been dying to know.

Tell us a little about yourself (where are you from, why do write, do you use a pen name, etc)

Now that’s a loaded question!...LOL… I live in Northern Kentucky right across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio just to give you a landmark. I’ve pretty much lived here all my life, having lived my current city for the past two years. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. My mother would try to tell us bedtime stories but I would always interrupt her and tell her what the ending was. LOL….she could never finish a story. I think she knew then I’d be a writer .

You write erotica romance. Did you find it difficult to write those steamy love scenes? Did family or friends ask you how you come up with the torrid love scenes? Did you worry what they would think when they read your books? I really don’t have a problem writing the love scenes at all. Friends will all ask me on occasion about the love scenes and how I come up with them. I always tell them I have a sexy hunk of a husband who is a good sport about it all (that’s the truth!). To be honest, I don’t really care what people think when they read my books. What I want them to walk away with is a great story and some ideas of how to spice up their own sex lives.I’ve gotten numerous e-mails from different men and women telling me how my books helped their sex lives and marriages. That’s what is important to me, not what people think of me personally.

Why historical romances? Do you have certain time period you like best? Why? I’ve always been a fan of history and have always enjoyed reading them. My favorite time period would have to be medieval….I think I lived in Scotland in a past life…LOL…all kidding aside, it has to be one of my favorites. There’s nothing as sexy as a strong alpha male. That’s why I married one!

Tell us a little about Desire’s Promise without give too much away. Why does Isabeau of Artenzia want to punish Kendrick, Duke of Kent? What did he do? Isabeau doesn’t appreciate the unwanted attention from the sexy illegitimate son of William the Longshanks. After leading her men into a victorious battle, she captures Kendrick with the intent of punishing him and making him understand he can never have her. Unfortunately, when she lands in Kendrick’s hands, her slow seduction isn’t forgotten. He has plans of his own.

Desire’s Promises is a prequel to The Warlord’s Woman, now that both books are available, would you recommend the readers to pick up Desire’s Promises first? The way I’ve written them, you can read them in any order.

Will this be a series? I have not decided yet. I’m thinking of bringing their descendants forward a few centuries and see what happens. It’s definitely been on my mind.

You’ve also written a time travel romance, Pirate’s of the Mist. It’s about an old legend. Is this a true legend or simply a legend for the story? If so, how did you come up with the idea? The legend is pure fiction. I actually came up with the idea after watching the 70’s movie, THE FOG. I always wondered about time travel and the mist seemed like a perfect vehicle for the time travel transport.

Do you have a favorite book on writing? If so, which one and why? Do you have a favorite research site? I’ve got so many, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. The same thing goes for research sites.

What are your current projects and works in progress? I’ve got quite a few! Currently, I’m developing a screenplay as well as the next installment in my Bloodborn series. There’s also a book I’m working on underneath a secret pen name. In addition, I’m making notes on another pirate novel (a popular request from readers)

Tell the readers where they can find you:

Most of my books are in print and can be found at the following locations.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Debra Kayn is here today to tell us about her romantic tales with yummy hunks to fantasize about as you sip your favorite drink! Let's give Debra a warm welcome.

Don't forget to leave a comment or ask her a question. She'd love to hear from you.Debra Kayn is offering one person who leaves a comment their choice of either Ride Free or Resurrecting Charlie's Girl. She'll post the winner's name tonight, so make sure you check back to see if you won. That person can email her at debrakayn@debrakayn.com with their preference of book and email addy.

Hello Debra. Let's start out with you telling us about yourself. (Bio, tidbits, likes, dislikes. If you use a pen name, why did you choose to do so?)

Thank you so much for having me here, Karen. Hm, a little about myself. I live in the coastal mountains of Oregon with my family. I’m married and have four teenage kids. I absolutely love the outdoors, and spend as much time as I can doing things outside the house. I play tennis, go fishing, garden, ride motorcycles, and in the winter, you’ll find me playing in the snow. You might have guessed, but I don’t really enjoy doing housework. Lol That might be the reason why I spend so much time outside. Debra Kayn is my pen name, but it is close to my real name. I kept my first name, took my middle name, and added my real last name’s first initial to come up with Kayn. I figured I was used to my Mom yelling “Debra Kay get over here!” when I was in trouble, I’d pay attention if someone spoke to me using Debra Kayn as my name. Plus, it gives me a little security in keeping my writing life private.

You have four children, how do you find time to write and juggle a family?

I’m busy, no getting around that, but it has been so much easier since they all became teenagers. The hardest part is making sure they are all here for dinner, and I don’t lose track of them as they run in all directions. It also helps that I do most of my writing after dinner into the late hours of the night.

In Betraying the Prince, Drake accepts the challenge of teaching Celina the ways of America . Why did Drake accept the challenge?

Great question. When Drake’s father introduces him to Celina, he’s floored with the way she has been raised. Segregated from all males, very sheltered, and in his view, treated unfairly. It angered him that someone would hinder a woman’s growth in such a way when the world is right there for her to enjoy. He accepted the challenge, because he wanted to show her that women are worth so much more than being trained as a wife who must obey.

Celina has been trained to please her future husband. By reading your excerpt, it sounds like Drake is trying not to give into her seductive touch. Tell us a little about the story without giving too much away.

Poor Drake, he’s such a stand up guy. In all aspects of Celina’s world, she is so sheltered on how to behave around a man, but she’s been trained to be his ideal sexual mate her whole life. Drake understands why she acts the way she does, but it is hard to walk away from a woman who strips down to her birthday suite and proclaims she’s a master at Kama Sutra. It is a humorous, endearing adventure to glimpse inside their budding romance.

Can we expect humorous situations? Will the reader need a fan and cold shower after reading this seductive read?

It is very humorous. I like describing their relationship as those first little butterflies, those tingles, we receive when we are falling in love and everything is enjoyable. Of course, later in the book, we watch as those butterflies turn into the most exotic bird that takes flight and sweeps us into a magical pull of seduction.

I do love this title: Biker Babe in Black. Margarine Butter (you must tell us why this name) is a biker chick. Tell us a little about her and what makes her this kick-butt chick who rides a Harley.

Lol There is a lot behind her name that I won’t go into and give away, but Margarine grew up in a motorcycle gang and the gang members all go by nicknames. Unlike most of the members though, she was born with that name. I just love Margarine, she’s one of my favorite characters. The poor girl is bad luck walking, but has the personality to take it all in stride and never give up. Strong, opinionated, determined…yet, soft, loving, and innocent.

Have you personally ever ridden a Harley?

Yes, I have. I’ve also sat behind the biggest bad-ass dude of the Hell’s Angels biker gang when I was 19 years old. Although he didn’t take me for a ride, the experience will carry me through the rest of my life. Lol My husband and I rode a lot together before the kids came along, but most of our riding done now is on dirt bikes. One day though, I’ll be the little old lady riding the pink Harley in full leathers with my hair blowing in the wind.

One reviewer claims Tycoon Remy Montgomery is just yummy. Tell us a little about him. (Tell us what he looks like, too. Make us drool. lol) Is your character Remy like anyone you know or purely a fantasy man?

Let’s see…dark, tall, powerful. He can go from wearing black leather to Armani like no one’s business. Personality wise –hubs is going to get me for saying this- he’s a lot like my husband. The rest is pure fantasy man.

What are your current projects and works in progress?

I’m working on the third book in The Chromes and Wheels Gang series and jotting down ideas for a sci/fi romance book that I am excited about.

The second book of The Chromes and Wheels Gang series, Ride Free, is coming out March 25th at Red Rose Publishing. We learn about Margarine’s best friend Reefer and the woman that catches his heart. I also have a romantic suspense, Resurrecting Charlie’s Girl, coming out March 26th at Breathless Press where we watch one abused woman heal and grow with the help of a sexy P.I. Check out my website for contest information where I’ll be giving away a copy of each book to celebrate the releases.

Ride Free

Sarah always dreamed of joining a motorcycle gang and hitting the open roads. First to escape a troubled childhood full of poverty and alcoholism, and later, the desire to live a gypsy lifestyle and feel the wind in her hair. Her life all changed the morning a biker stopped in the middle of the road and asked if she wanted a ride.

Reefer had two rules. Don't mess around with women who didn't grow up riding the road and his biker family always came first. Nothing prepared him for the woman who hopped onto the back of his Harley with the ease of a born rider, or how she peeled back the layers of his sealed heart.

Two people running from a world full of hurt. Will they escape to find happiness or will they have to revisit the past?

Resurrecting Charlie’s Girl

On the run and in hiding, Charlise wasn't surprised that her ex-husband found her again at the hunting lodge. The sick bastard would stop at nothing to have her back, and that included murder. Abused and a former shell of herself, she wants to find the woman she was before ever meeting the elusive Jared Blatwell. This time her ex catches up with her and it appears that her time has run out.

Coming off a three-day stakeout, Tom Brannet looked forward to the hunting trip with the other men from G.P. Investigations. Rest, relaxation, and a little hunting is exactly what he needed.

Instead, he's thrown back into his job protecting the beautiful woman behind the counter at The Ridge. No longer the hunter, he does everything in his power to keep Charlise from being the prey. Unable to stop Jared Blatwell from finding his ex-wife, Tom and his partners set up a trap that goes terribly wrong.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Mariposa Cruz is here today to tell us about her new release, Howl and give us some insight into her werewolf world. Let's give her a warm welcome.

Tell us a little about yourself. Do you use a pen name? If so, why?

I’ve written a number of freelance interviews and music reviews for a local independent weekly under my legal name. I use my pen name, Mariposa Cruz, for my romance writing.Since I work in a conservative environment (corporate law), it made sense to keep my twilight pursuits separate from my day job.

You’ve written a werewolf story. Tell us about the werewolf lore surrounding your characters? Do they age like humans? Are they aware of their human side when they are in their wolf skin? Do they have control of when they shift and when they don’t?

The werewolves in Howl age like humans, but they heal quickly. In Howl, strong emotions can trigger a shift.Seasoned werewolves, like Jack, are fully aware of their human side and can resist the impulse to shift under pressure.For newly turned werewolves, like Kate, it takes awhile for the wolf and human psyches to mesh.Aside from discovering feline carcasses on her kitchen floor, Kate has no idea of what her four-legged self does at night, she fears she's losing her mind.

Tell us a little about your characters in Howl. Are they looking for love?

Both Kate and Jack are lonely and yearn for love, but the circumstances in their lives make it difficult for them to actively seek it.Kate struggles to make ends meet as single mom while Jack is in pursuit of a rogue werewolf.

Are you anything like your character(s)? Are they based on anyone you know—werewolf or human?

Kate and I share a profession (corporate paralegal) and a love ofbaking, but she's her own person like the other characters in Howl.Though I suspect feeding a pack of wolves is not unlike feeding a house full of teenagers.

You’ve written a paranormal tale. Why this genre?

I fell in love with monsters while watching their classic movies on Saturday afternoons as a kid.I'm also intrigued by the werewolves' struggle to remain true to their beastly nature while living in the "real" world.

What inspired your story? Give us behind the scene view.

Howl was an on-going WIP during two very tumulteous periods in my life.I started Howl shortly after my family moved to Reno from Northern California. Though it was a positive move in many ways, I missed my CA family and friends.My divorce became final three weeks after I submitted Howl for publication.Though our marriages ended for different reasons, Kate's rage came from a very real place.

Would you like to be a werewolf or a shifter, who can chose any animal shape? Why?

As a writer I love to work with a variety of forms (interviews, articles, flash fiction and creative non-fiction) From a beast's perspective, I'd prefer to be a werewolf rather than have the ability to shift into different animal forms.A shifter with a single animal form would be more likely to connect with a community.I believe a sense of community is essential to survive in any world paranormal or otherwise.

You have a family and you work. How do you find time to write? Do you have a schedule?

My regular writing schedule is weekend mornings before my kids get up and those rare moments that I have the house to myself.During the week, I squeeze in my writing projects on my lunch hour.Right now I'm writing from my car "office" with a view of snow-capped Mt. Rose.

Nice. J

Is Howl a stand alone story or part of a series?

Right now, the sequel to Howl is in the works.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I love the process of discovery involved with writing.The more I delve into a story, the more particular character traits emerge along with possible plot directions.Also writing is one of the few pursuits that requires daydreaming as an essential skill, no doubt the reason my English grades were higher than my math scores.

What are your current projects and works in progress?

In addition to Howl's sequel, I’m working on a full-length novel about an accountant and a social worker, former high school buddies who re-kindle their friendship when their marriages hit bottom. Both women experience betrayal, but take different paths toward resolution.

“Pierce called me this morning. He’s here. He left cigarette butts near your window. I spent all day tracking him.”

Kate hugged her knees trying to shake a sudden chill.

“When I think about what he did to you…”

“I’m all right. I want to be with you in any way, shape, or form.” Kate put her arms around him. His shoulders were rigid with tension. Kate turned his face toward hers and kissed him slowly, her free hand stroking his beard.

“I never realized you could be such a tease,” Jack murmured into her ear.

“I never knew you could be such a beast,” Kate replied and kissed him again.

He returned her kiss, pulling her onto his lap. His hands slid up her shirt caressing her bare back while she snuggled closer and wrapped her legs around him.

The first howl startled them.

“Damn,” Jack muttered.

Kate sighed. “We can’t be late for dinner?” she murmured.

“No. I’m not going to rush this time. We’ll continue this later in bed. I’ll wait for you outside.” His fingers traced the curve of her bare thigh when he released her. He kissed her hard on the mouth then turned and left her to change alone. If he lingered much longer, they would miss dinner.

Jack paced outside while he waited for Kate to join him. Changing in the chilled, night air cooled his ardor. He heard the others in the distance and his stomach growled. Searching the forest for Pierce all day, he hadn’t slowed to eat. What was taking her so long? It wasn’t as if she needed to freshen up her make up or curl her hair. Finally, after several long minutes, a small, silver wolf joined him. She nipped at him playfully as they raced to meet the others.

The hunt seemed to take longer than usual while they chased their prey deep into the forest. No longer overwhelmed by sounds and scents of the forest, Kate appeared exhilarated by the hunt. Several hours later, slightly winded from their pursuit, they slipped into Jack’s room. He had changed and waited for her in bed when Kate crawled through the side door and burrowed under the covers. A faint cry came from beneath the blankets while her limbs shifted and reformed. Breathlessly, Kate emerged beside him, her blonde hair tousled. With an exasperated groan, she held up her arms, the silver wolf’s paws still splayed from her wrists.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

March 11, 2010 Time: 7C/8E- 9c/10E

Join the Tease Readers Yahoo Group for the Love's Immortal Blast Off for the next installment of the anthology series. Find out what's new at Tease. There will be drawings and all kinds of goodies. Ask questions or just enjoy the excerpts.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Let's give Margaret Tanner a warm welcome! She's going to give us a behind the scenes look at her historical novels set in World War I.

THE BATTLEFIELDS OF FRANCE AND BELGIUM

Hi Karen, thank you for inviting me to your blog.

I would like to share some of my research for my World War 1 novels, Shattered Dreams and Wild Oats from The Wild Rose Press and Devil’s Ridge from Whiskey Creek Press.

As well as delving into my family history, trawling through dusty old tomes in the library, I decided to visit the Australian battlefields on the Somme in France and also in Belgium, a truly poignant experience.

Australia was a small country in 1914, with a population of less than 4 million, yet we sent over 300,000 men to the front, Gallipoli in Turkey, Egypt, France and Belgium.More than 50,000 of our soldiers lie in the beautiful cemeteries in France and Belgium, 12,000 miles from home.

Our pilgrimage commenced in Amiens where we were met by our guide who had not only a personal interest, but a wealth of knowledge regarding the battlefields. Using war time maps, he was able to point to within a hundred yards, where my grandfather’s cousin was seriously wounded near the village of Hermes in 1917. Chills ran down my spine. I felt as if a hand was gripping me from the grave. Unfortunately, this relative died of his wounds, leaving a wife and 2 small children behind.He is buried in the war cemetery at Rouen, and we were elated but sad when we found his grave.

We visited large cemeteries where hundreds of white headstones stood amongst green lawns with pretty flowers nodding their heads between the graves. It was so poignant one could have cried a million tears and it still wouldn’t have been enough.

At Thiepval we saw a monument with thousands of names engraved on it, for English soldiers who fell in the area but have no known grave.

One of the most memorable monument wasn’t very big.It was at Fromelles, a bronze statue of an Aussie soldier carrying his wounded mate.

POST SCRIPT TO THIS: About twelve months ago, a mass grave was found at Pheasant Wood (Fromelles), it contained the remains of hundreds of English and Australian soldiers who had died in the battle and were buried by the Germans. Extensive excavation work was carried out, and every soldier will eventually be re-buried with full military honours in individual graves, in a newly created war cemetery. DNA samples have been taken from the remains, (buried since 1916), and relatives of soldiers listed as missing after the battle have been asked to give DNA samples, and the Commonwealth War Graves authorities are hopeful that many of these soldiers will be identified.

At the Menin Gate in Belgium, is a huge monument with thousands of names inscribed on it for soldiers without a grave, they still, after all these years, play the last post every evening as a mark of respect for the fallen. We visited large war cemeteries here and beautiful and sad as they were, the most touching was a small cemetery near Passchendale with only a handful of white headstones. Night was falling as we passed through this cemetery, and as we stopped to read the inscription on an eighteen year old soldier’s grave, we whispered that someone from home had come to visit him. When we turned and walked away through the misty rain, all we could leave behind for him was our tears and a red poppy.

Captain Phillip Ashfield toasted his elevation to fatherhood, as a barrage of artillery pounded the battle scarred fields around him.

English aristocrat, Phillip Ashfield, comes to Australia to sow some “Wild Oats”.After seducing Allison Waverley, he decides to marry an heiress to consolidate the family fortunes.Phillip has made a fatal choice, that will not only ruin his own life, but the repercussions will be felt by the next generation.

To save Allison from the disgrace of having Phillip’s baby out of wedlock, Tommy Calvert marries her. Mortally wounded on the French battlefields, Tommy is found by Phillip who learns that Allison has borne him a son. He vows to claim the boy when the war is over, because his wife cannot give him an heir. In the meantime, Allison finally finds happiness from an unexpected source.

SHATTERED DREAMS – The Wild Rose Press

Three young soldiers leave a shattering legacy as they pass through Lauren Cunningham’s life. Danny her childhood sweetheart is killed in action in 1915. Captain Blair Sinclair returns from the war with amnesia and believes Lauren to be his fiancée. Dick McKinlay is a shell shocked soldier who is prepared to marry her to hide a terrible secret.

Even if Blair can forgive Lauren for being an impostor, will she always be haunted by the ghost of her lost first love and tainted by the scandal surrounding her marriage to Dick?

By the time Ross Calvert discovers Harry Martin is in fact Harriet Martin she has fallen in love with him. Realizing she has failed in her final effort to protect her shell-shocked brother, she puts a desperate proposition to Ross. Marry her and she will give him an heir.

Ross accepts.However, he is tormented by the betrayal of his former fiancée Virginia.On his honeymoon he meets her again and is still infatuated.With the army recalling him to the Western Front, he faces a terrible dilemma, taste Virginia’s passion before he heads to the trenches of France, or keep his marriage vows to Harry.

With the spectre of war hanging over them, there are even bigger obstacles for Ross and Harry. Ross returns to the trenches, and a man seeking wealth at any cost, endangers Harry’s life in a way she had never imagined possible.

Monday, March 1, 2010

I'm happy you were able to join us today. Let's start out with you telling the readers a little about yourself.

My current bio is: C.R. Moss, resident of the hot, high desert in the southwest, knew she wanted to write at a young age, as early as she learned to read, cooking up stories to entertain herself in the rural, non-kid-laden area she had lived in. But she took a round about way to settle down as a fiction writer, having worked in the corporate pharmaceutical and real estate realms writing newspaper articles, press releases, corporate newsletters, etc. Now that she's settled into the alternative health care industry, she has returned to her first love: creative writing. When she isn't working at her practice or at her computer cooking up another tale, she can be found hanging out with her husband and cat, reading a book, chillin' in front of the TV, or working on a craft project. She has also been known to play WOW.

Your newest release is Beautiful People. Richard Prall is a troubled young man who doubts his sanity when his friend disappears and people he wanted gone turn up dead. Tell us little about Richard and why he’s worried the authorities won’t believe he’s innocent.

Richard is a socially inept young man who grew up with learning disabilities and was teased a lot. He’s known to have an over active imagination. The worry over his innocence comes from something that occurs one night and a couple of conversations he’s had. Can’t say much else or I might give something away.

Why a horror mystery? What inspired the story?

My writing roots stem from the horror genre and the story is a bit suspenseful on top of it. I can’t remember exactly what inspired this story. The gem of the idea came to me in the beginning of 2008.

Who was the cover book artist for Beautiful People? It definitely catches your attention. Did you help to create the stunning cover?

Thecover art was done by Angela Waters. She did a fantastic job! I love the color and the pair of eyes under the title. My input on the cover was minimal. I gave her the blurb of the story, some very basic ideas and the theme. She came up with the wonderful composition.

Works in Progress: “A woman in love. A ghost in need. A man possessed.” Now that you have our attention, tell us about your upcoming series Look What the Cat Dragged In. How many stories and what can we look forward to? Release date?

I currently have three books planned in this series. There might be a fourth revolving around the ladies of the ‘Bridge Club,’ but I’ll see how the first three go. The series is based on a frisky feline, Myrddin, who fancies himself a matchmaker. The first book ‘Look What the Cat Dragged In for Evelyn’ follows Raritan Manor’s ghost Quinn and his living love Evelyn. The second and third books follow cousins Julie and Cassandra as they fall in love. Julie’s story will have time travel in it – a Native American gets brought forward during a ritual. Cassandra’s story will have a blast from the past turn her world upside down and readers will see how her familiar, Myrddin, came into her life. Evelyn’s story is targeted for release this year on April 1 and the other two follow June 1 and August 1. For a peek at Evelyn’s story, visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss/id25.html

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Learn all you can about the craft of writing, including grammar, stick to your goals and don’t give up on your dreams.

***Beautiful People by C.R. Moss available now at extasy books. Book is for mature audiences and contains adult sexual situations including m/f/m.

Blurb: His dark imaginings have become reality. Richard Prall, a troubled young man, imagines his life to be different than it is—free from his learning disability, his eccentric mother and the teasing and ridicule of his peers. One day after being mocked too many times, he and his friend, Jenni, envision ways of ridding the bullies from his life. To his dismay, his fantasies take on a life of their own. The people he wanted gone turn up dead and Jenni disappears. How can he make the authorities believe he’s innocent when he’s not even sure of his sanity?

PG-13 Excerpt:In the midst of the clutter lay three tarot cards and a small note pad. Moving around the ironing board, he kept his focus on the page where his name was written in big, bold letters. He picked up the pad and glanced at the cards—Devil, Death, Justice lay in a straight line. The dark imagery of horns and fire, skulls and swords and bound hands and eyes seared his mind. The paper grew hot in his hand.

His mother had a knack for reading cards and palms and talking to the spirit world. She was one of the rare few who could be called a true psychic and medium. But her spooky talent came with a price—it made her flighty and a bit of a social outcast. Though people found it alluring to be told their future, when it came down to it, the frank and accurate news of what was happening and would occur in their lives scared them. So, in ignorance and contempt, most people feared and shunned the woman whose gift was her sole means of support. There were times her readings even gave him the heebie-geebies. Like now.

Richard scanned the page and read the notes his mother had made under his name. Devil—secret plans; sexual; obsessions; relationship, healthy or not? Death—major changes; transformations; release. Justice—balance; legal matters, ruling; beneficial outcome, yes or no? Will need to do another reading when… Her notes suddenly stopped.

Disclaimer: I do not read every book of the authors I spotlight. Readers, please use your own discretion before buying.

Disclaimers

Reviews, articles, and comments herein are the opinion and responsibility of the provider. While a copy of a book may have been provided at no cost to the reviewer, no reviewers were paid for their opinion, and any and all articles and comments were provided free of charge.

Avoid Copyright Infringement

Images and articles posted are the property of the provider, have been legally purchased or created or were secured through verified public domain. Included images are not available for use in commercial projects to visitors of our blog and may only be shared within the context of the post in which they appear.